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Luthier education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a luthier. Luthiers usually study music, business, or general studies. 41% of luthiers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 155 real luthier resumes to see exactly what luthier education sections show.
The most common colleges for luthiers are the Musicians Institute and the Musicians Institute.
There are also many online luthier courses to help get the education required to be a luthier.
What education do you need to become a luthier?
What degree do you need to be a luthier?
- Bachelor's, 41%
- Associate, 21%
- High School Diploma, 21%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a luthier?
- Music, 24%
- Business, 8%
- General Studies, 8%
- Fine Arts, 6%
- Other Majors, 54%
Most common colleges for luthiers
| Luthier common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Musicians Institute | 11.54% |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | 11.54% |
| University of Memphis | 7.69% |
| Arizona College - Mesa | 7.69% |
| University of Houston | 3.85% |
Best majors for luthiers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Music | 24.5% |
| 2 | Business | 8.2% |
| 3 | General Studies | 8.2% |
| 4 | Fine Arts | 6.1% |
| 5 | Graphic Design | 6.1% |
Best colleges for luthiers
The best colleges for luthiers are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.
A luthier with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for luthiers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become luthiers.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$47,350
Enrollment
3,962
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,465
Enrollment
6,483
8. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
20 best online courses for luthiers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for luthiers
The most affordable schools for luthiers are University of Florida, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and california state university - los angeles.
If the best universities for luthiers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for luthiers.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
4. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
5. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
6. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
7. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
10. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for luthiers
The hardest universities for luthiers to get into are Northwestern University, Harvard University, and Duke University.
Some great schools for luthiers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for luthiers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. Barnard College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
14%
SAT average
1,422
10. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for luthiers
The easiest schools for luthiers to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, william paterson university of new jersey, and cardinal stritch university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a luthier without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for luthiers.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
3. Cardinal Stritch University
Milwaukee, WI • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,035
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
6. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
7. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
8. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
9. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
10. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
Average luthier salary by education level
| Luthier education level | Luthier salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,858 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $33,898 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,361 |
Luthier education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common installation, maintenance and repair questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025